Toboggan



Feb. 21, 1956 G. D. DEES TOBOGGAN Filed Jan. 30, 1953 George D. DeesINVENTOR.

United States Patent TOBOGGAN George D. Dees, Milford, Mich. ApplicationJanuary 30, 1953, Serial No. 334,267 1 Claim. (Cl. 9-21) This inventionrelates in general to toboggans, and more particularly to an improvedtoboggan intended for use in water.

At the present time, the toboggans in use have been constructed alongthe lines of toboggans utilized in connection with snow or otherslippery surfaces and there has been provided no means for stabilizingsuch water toboggans so as to prevent the same from being off theircourses. While such an action may add to the amusement of a rider in thestraightway, the veering of a toboggan in a turn often times results inthe overturning of the toboggan which is highly undesirable at highspeeds. Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention toprovide an improved toboggan intended primarily for use in the waterwhich includes a pair of spaced parallel stabilizing fins on theunderside thereof adjacent its after end whereby a toboggan may bestabilized and retained on its desired course.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved watertoboggan which is of extremely simple construction, light in weight, andwhich is highly stable so that the same may be utilized and controlledwith a mini mum of effort upon the part of a rider.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved watertoboggan having stabilizing fins on the underside thereof forstabilizing the toboggan, said toboggan also having struts reinforcingand upwardly curved forward end, said struts being in longitudinalalignment with said fins whereby twisting action imparted to thestabilizing fins will be imparted directly to the struts to minimizesuch twisting action.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings forming parts throughout, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the water toboggan, which is thesubject of this invention, and shows the general outline of the same, atow rope and a stand rope being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the water toboggan of Figure 1 andshows the positions of the stabilizing fins secured to the undersidethereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the toboggan and clearlyillustrates the configurations of the stabilizing fins and the strutswhich reinforce a curved forward end of the toboggan; and,

Figure 4 is a stern view of the toboggan and illustrates thelongitudinal alignment of the stabilizing fins and the struts.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated the toboggan or surf board which is the subject of thisinvention, the toboggan being referred to in general by the referencenumeral 10. The toboggan includes an elongated body member or board 12which is formed of a flat sheet of material, such as plywood, and whichhas an arcuate, upwardly curved for 2,735,115 Patented Feb. 21, 1956ward end or how 14. The arcuate forward end or bow 14 is reinforced by apair of spaced, parallel substantially segmental braces or struts 16which are secured to the upper surface of the body member 12 by suitablefasteners 18.

The body member 12 includes a rider supporting area 20 adjacent thestern thereof on which a rider may stand or rest in a seated position.Disposed immediately below the rider supporting area 20 and secured tothe underside of the body member 12 in spaced, parallel relation is apair of elongated stabilizing fins 22. The stabilizing fins 22 aretriangular in elevation and increase in depth toward the after end ofthe body member 12 from which they are forwardly spaced. The stabilizingfins 22 are secured to the underside of the body member 12 bylongitudinally spaced fasteners 24.

Disposed adjacent the arcuate forward end 14 of the body member 12 andextending therethrough is a pair of transversely spaced holes 26. Theholes 26 have passed therethrough and secured to the body member 12 atow rope 28 and a stand rope 30. It is intended that the tow rope 28 besecured to a suitable water vehicle, such as a boat, and it is intendedthat the rider of the toboggan 10 grasp the stand rope 30 to retain himor her on the toboggan.

When the toboggan 10 is towed behind a suitable water vehicle at a highrate of speed, the stabilizing fins 22 will result in the toboggan 10following a straight course behind the boat.

When it is desired to turn the toboggan 10 relative to its normallystraight course, the weight of the rider is shifted to the desired sidewith the result that that side of the toboggan is slightly submerged andthe opposite side moves out of the water thereby causing a drag on oneside of the stern portion of the toboggan and a resulting turningaction. Inasmuch as the stabilizing fins 22 remain slightly within thewater at all times, the fins also facilitate control of the toboggan 10during a turn and greatly reduce the side-slipping of the toboggan overthe water in the course of a turn.

Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that thestabilizing fins 22 are in longitudinal alignment with the struts 16.Inasmuch as a relatively great twisting action is imposed upon thestabilizing fins 22 during the turning of the toboggan 10, it isdesirable that these fins be disposed in longitudinal alignment with thestruts 16 to greatly reduce the twisting action of the body member 12.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been devised animproved toboggan intended primarily for use in water which isrelatively light in weight and at the same time of relatively greatstrength and which is highly maneuverable. It will be understood thatthe stabilizing fins 22, in addition to stabilizing the course of thetoboggan 10, functions as reinforcing means for the stern portion of thetoboggan on which a rider stands or sits.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A surf board of the character described including: a flat board of asubstantial width comprising an upwardly curved bow, the aft portion ofsaid board providing a rider supporting area, a stand rope having itsends anchored to the longitudinal marginal portions of the boardintermediate said rider supporting area and the bow, a pair of spaced,parallel, substantially segmental braces secured longitudinally in thebow on the upper side of the board, and a pair of spaced, parallel,substantially triangular fins mounted on the board beneath the ridersupporting area for reinforcing same and stabilizing the board, saidfins being in longitudinal alignment with the braces and cooperabletherewith for resisting twisting action of the board.

110,619 Allen Ian. 3, 1871 4 Ranlett Nov. 23, Erickson Aug. 6, HartmanAug. 14, Juntunen Apr. 5,

FOREIGN PATENTS Sweden July 30, Germany Nov. 15, France Oct. 15, FranceApr. 30,

